#40 TAJIKISTAN


Tajikistan was the first country I visited in the former Soviet Union and I was very excited to see what life was like behind the old Iron Curtain. I flew into Dushanbe directly from Kabul, along with Zoran and a few other friends from Afghanistan on R&R. We splurged on our accomodation and stayed at the Hotel Avesto, which felt like the kind of place that Cold War spies would've had their meetings. We all wondered if the rooms were bugged.

Despite the many similarities between the Tajikistan and Afghanistan -- language, food, landscape, etc. -- the differences were even more stark. Here, there wasn't a single burqa to be found and the vodka flowed freely. To paraphrase one of my travel mate's observations, "Just one thin border separates Tajikistan from Afghanistan -- the USSR should posthumously be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize!" 

Jokes aside, the influence of Russia's lengthy occupation of Tajikistan was extremely visible compared to the Afghanistan of today. One of the most fascinating aspects of our trip was exploring old Soviet infrastructure, such as the Nurek Dam. Similarly, the dilapidated Khoja Obi Garm Sanatorium was a highlight and had a vibe akin to "The Shining" as we were the only guests in the massive complex. I've you've never been to a Soviet sanatorium, they are a combination resort and medical facility that provide short term rest and recuperation services for workers on holiday. Our first stop at the sanatorium was with a doctor who assessed our condition and prescribed treatments, such as radon polls, colonics, steam rooms, and human jet washes. As you can imagine, this was far from a relaxing facial or mani/pedi you might get at another spa facility! 

When it came to meal time, each of us had an assigned seat in the dining room, even though every other table was empty. The food was Soviet spa cuisine, meaning it was designed to be healthy and nutritious but the end product was overwhelming bleak: mashed potatoes and macaroni topped with meatballs in a tomato sauce. Just the kind of food you want to stuff yourself on before soaking in hot thermal waters for the afternoon.

The other cool thing we did in Tajikistan was drive up to Iskanderkul in the Fan Mountains. We camped out in an abandoned house without heating, but at least we were surrounded by stunning snow-capped mountains and icy blue waters. Our trusty guide and driver, Jamolek, lit a campfire on the pebble beach and fried up some potatoes for dinner. As the sun went down we nursed our beers, and once it was too dark to see anything we climbed into our sleeping bags for the night. 

Over the next few years, I'd visit Tajikistan again as a gateway to explore other neighboring Central Asian countries. Dushanbe's proximity to Kabul was a welcome convenience, and it was always pleasant to spend a few days in sleepy Dushanbe. Nevertheless, as often happens, it was this first trip to a new country that gav eme the most vivid and lasting memories.  

Dushanbe, 2012

Plov-e dumba, fat-tail sheep's tail fat plov, 2012

Lenin, Nurek, 2012

Nurek, 2012
Exploring heavy machinery at Nurek, 2012

Tender and succulent lamb short-ribs, Nurek, 2012



Rahmon and Putin, Dushanbe, 2012

The joys of Tajikistan: shohona platinum vodka, caviar, sausage, smoked string cheese, and pickels, Dushanbe, 2012

Sanatorium "Khoja Obi Garm," 2012 

Dining room complete with assigned seating even though we were the only guests..., Sanatorium "Khoja Obi Garm," 2012 

Dinner of mashed potatoes, macaroni and meatballs with sauce, Sanatorium "Khoja Obi Garm," 2012 

Bathroom, Sanatorium "Khoja Obi Garm," 2012 

Iskanderkul, 2012

Salad, Iskanderkul, 2012

Iskanderkul, 2012

Cooking dinner al fresco! Iskanderkul, 2012

Chaikhana, Dushanbe, 2014
Hotel Avesto, Dushanbe, 2014

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